General

The Santa Croce district of Florence is located on the eastern edge of the historic centre, running along the Arno River. The main attraction in this area is the Santa Croce church, where famous Florentine art is displayed and the remains of the famous dead Florentines can be visited. Once a year, Piazza Santa Croce is filled with dirt and soccer games, reminiscent of the Renaissance violence, are played. This is a busy area, its streets lined with wine bars, cafes and restaurants. It is characterized as a residential neighbourhood, making it a good area to mingle with the locals and catch a glimpse of real Florentine life. Some of the best restaurants in Florence are located here.

Important Sites

The Basilica of Santa Croce

The Basilica of Santa Croce is a Franciscan church, considered by many as one of the finest examples of Italian Gothic architecture. Construction of the Basilica began in 1294 by Arnolfo di Cambio and finished in 1442. The Gothic Revival facade and clock tower were completed in the nineteenth century. Frescoes by Giotto adorn the Bardi and Peruzzi Chapels. The Baroncelli Chapel contains frescoes by Taddeo Gaddi and a polyptych by Agnolo Gaddi. Frescoes by Agnolo Gaddi also adorn the Castellani Chapel. Sculptures by masters of early Renaissance art are displayed in the Basilica, including sculptures by Rossellino, Donatello, Mino da Fiesole, Andrea della Robbia, and Benedetto da Maiano. The Basilica also contains fine examples of early Renaissance architecture, such as the fourteenth century Pazzi Chapel by Brunelleschi. Famous Italians, such as Leon Battista Alberti, Michelangelo, Vittorio Alfieri, Leonardo Bruni, Gioacchino Rossini, and Galileo are burried here.

Piazza dei Ciompi

Ghiberti once lived in this square, where Vasari's Loggia del Pesce stands, held up by its 18 slender Doric columns and decorated with small, round terracotta plaques representing various varieties of fish. A daily market offers visitors prints, books, jewellery and other unique items. On the last Sunday of each month, up to an additional hundred exhibitors bring their wares to the market, scattering onto adjacent streets.